Best Place to Catch Acts Before They Blow Up the Blogs New York 2012 - S.O.B.'s

Tucked away on the corner of Houston and Varick streets, S.O.B.'s is where you can find artists on the rise making their New York debuts and old-schoolers trumpeting their returns—and even a couple of farewells. When Aussie siren Iggy Azalea decided to tower over a New York crowd while spitting "Pu$$y," she did so at S.O.B.'s; the New Jill Swing trio SWV announced their comeback in perfect harmony last spring, and they made their New York appearance at the club; when Beanie Sigel bid the city farewell before heading off to jail for an extended stay, he did it there. Its supper club sidebars give S.O.B.'s an intimate feel that sets it apart from other rooms of its cozy size, though even when things get wild (and they do), the place is well-designed in such a way to avoid breaking dishes. And bloggers and media types aren't the only mucky-mucks who show up; back in March, when the loverman singer-songwriter The-Dream made his first live appearance in two years, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were nestled in the VIP booth. 204 Varick Street, 212-243-4940, sobs.com (10014)